Left / Countdown widget
A countdown widget for iPhone: days left until anything
A trip, a birthday, a deadline, the day you finish exams: some dates are better when you can see them coming. In Left these countdowns are called Ahead dates. You add the date once, and a widget on your Home Screen or Lock Screen shows the days left until it arrives.
For iPhone with iOS 26 or later. The free plan includes 2 countdowns.
What a countdown widget is for
A countdown widget shows how much time is left until a date you care about, right on your Home Screen or Lock Screen. You do not have to open an app or do the maths: the number is just there, and it gets smaller every day.
People count down to all sorts of things: holidays and trips, birthdays and anniversaries, weddings, due dates, exams, a move, a race, a product launch, or the day a contract ends. Some dates are exciting; others are deadlines you would rather not forget. Both work better when the days left are visible.
Why a countdown on your screen helps
Looking forward to something is part of the pleasure, and a countdown stretches that out. For deadlines it does the opposite job: "in 12 days" lands harder than a date in a calendar, so you start earlier. And for days you share with other people, a visible countdown keeps everyone on the same page.
How to create a countdown widget on iPhone
1. Add the date in Left
- Open Left and go to Ahead.
- Tap Add a date ahead (or +). Search the ready-made dates, type a name, or choose New date to start from scratch. To bring in an existing event, choose From calendar and pick it from your calendars.
- Give it a name, then set Starts to the date and time it begins. For something that lasts, such as a trip, set Until to when it ends.
- For dates that come back, use Repeat: weekly, fortnightly, monthly or yearly. Yearly is ideal for birthdays and anniversaries.
- To add a background photo or a symbol, tap the preview card at the top and choose Add image, then pick a photo from your library or Unsplash. Under More options, choose how to Show as... (hours, days, weeks, months or years).
- Save. The countdown appears in Ahead.
2. Add the widget
- Touch and hold an empty part of your Home Screen, tap Edit in the top-left corner, then Add Widget.
- Search for Left and choose a countdown widget: Ahead, Ahead Bars, Ahead Circle or Time Ahead list.
- Choose a size, tap Add Widget, then Done.
- Touch and hold the widget, tap Edit Widget and pick your date. The Ahead widget can also show the photo, a percentage, and a grid of symbols for the time left.
3. On the Lock Screen
Touch and hold the Lock Screen, tap Customize, choose Lock Screen, tap the widget area and add Left’s Ahead widget, then tap it to choose the date.
For the last stretch, open the date in Left and, under More options, below Get a reminder, turn on Get ready for the start. Left then shows a Live Activity on your Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island in the hours before the date begins. Get the final countdown does the same for the hours before it ends, at its Until time. A Live Activity stays for up to 4 hours unless you dismiss it. You can also set a regular reminder from a month to a day before.
Countdown widget sizes
| Widget | What it shows | Home Screen | Lock Screen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahead | One date: time left, with optional photo, details, percentage and symbol grid | Small, Medium, Large | Circular, Rectangular |
| Ahead Bars | Progress towards one date as bars | Small, Medium, Large | Not available |
| Ahead Circle | Progress towards one date as a circle | Small, Medium, Large | Not available |
| Time Ahead list | Up to 7 dates (3 in Medium), each in its own unit | Medium, Large | Not available |
Left widgets also work in StandBy. iOS decides exactly when widgets refresh; for the countdown to the second, open the date in Left or use the Live Activity.
Sharing, sorting and keeping it tidy
With Left Premium you can share a date with friends so you all count down together; see Joint Ahead dates. Sort Ahead by closest, farthest or name, A to Z or Z to A (how to organize Ahead). Past dates can be archived rather than deleted.
What is free and what needs Left Premium
Left is free to download and its widgets are free. The free plan lets you create 2 countdowns, along with 2 habits, 2 streaks and 2 Aims. The limit counts every countdown you create, so deleting one does not give the slot back. Left Premium removes the limit and adds shared dates with friends, Planner and more. Prices are shown in the app before you buy.
Just checking a date? The free date countdown calculator, days until birthday, vacation countdown and Christmas countdown tools work in your browser.
Questions
How do I make a countdown widget on my iPhone?
Add the date in Left’s Ahead section, then touch and hold your Home Screen, tap Edit, choose Add Widget, search for Left and add the Ahead widget. Touch and hold the widget, tap Edit Widget and pick your date.
Is there a free countdown widget?
Yes. Left’s widgets are free and the free plan lets you create 2 countdowns. Deleting a countdown does not free up a slot. Left Premium removes the limit; prices are shown in the app before you buy.
Can a countdown repeat every year?
Yes. Set Repeat to yearly, which suits birthdays and anniversaries. Weekly, fortnightly and monthly repeats are available too, as long as the event is shorter than the repeat interval.
Can it show hours or weeks instead of days?
Yes. Each date has a Show as... setting for hours, days, weeks, months or years, and the Time Ahead list widget lets each date use its own unit.
Can I see a countdown on my Lock Screen?
Yes. Add Left’s Ahead widget in its circular or rectangular Lock Screen size. For the final hours, turn on Get ready for the start to show a Live Activity on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island before the date begins, or Get the final countdown for the hours before it ends.
Can I import dates from my calendar?
Yes. When you add a date, choose From calendar to import the date and time of an existing calendar event.
Something to look forward to.
Download Left, add the date you are waiting for, and keep the countdown on your Home Screen or Lock Screen.
Scan or search "Left" on the App Store.